The Race Director's Daughter (Sebastian Vettel)

64. The Waiting Game (2)

Two weeks later...

Luca stood looking through the half open door. The scene in front of him was the same as it had been for the previous two weeks. His sister laid, unmoving in a bed, attached to all sorts of machines, a steady beep coming from one to signify that, despite appearances, she was actually still alive.

Seb was sat in his usual place, a chair at the side of her bed, gripping her hand tightly in his. He'd barely left her side in the two weeks she'd been fighting for her life. In fact, Luca could count the times Seb had left the hospital using his fingers. He'd been persuaded to briefly leave for a shower and a change of clothes half a dozen times or so, but that was it. He ate at the hospital, when he actually remembered to eat, and he slept at the hospital.

Luca sighed. It was all taking its toll on the German. He looked rough, his hair looked in good need of a comb and his beard was overlong and unkempt. He'd lost the sparkle in his eye, he looked dead inside.

"Is he still in there?" he heard Jamie say from behind him.

"Of course, what did you expect?" he told his husband dryly. Jamie placed his hand on Luca's shoulder reassuringly.

"She'll wake up soon. She's a fighter. They only gave her a 20% chance of surviving the first twenty four hours, yet here she is, still fighting." Luca nodded, but he wasn't feeling so positive. Leah's injuries were extensive. It was a miracle she'd even survived the surgery. "How's your dad bearing up? I haven't seen him for a few days."

"He's a mess, to be expected really. This must bring back bad memories." Jamie sighed as he remembered that Luca and Leah's mother, Amanda, had been killed in a car accident when they'd been very young.

"Do you remember her at all?" Jamie asked. Luca had never spoken about his mother to him, only telling him how she'd died.

"Not really, I was only four. All I remember is a kind smile, and the smell of peaches. She always smelt of peaches. And I remember how broken dad was. He loved her so much and he could never find that kind of love again...not until he met Vicky anyway. Leah has no memory of her. She was only two."

"Seb needs to eat," Jamie said, changing the subject. "He's already lost a lot of weight.  I know it's the last thing he feels like doing, but he needs to look after himself.  He needs to be strong for her."

"Try telling him that.  I've tried Jamie.  Vicky's tried.  We just can't get through to him.  He barely speaks to any of us.  He and dad sit there hour after hour in that room together and they've not spoken a single word to each other."

"Maybe that's just as well.  If they're not talking, they're not arguing."

"Perhaps, but they're both in the same position. They both love her, and both are blaming themselves for what happened. Oh I know they haven't openly blamed themselves, but you know as well as I do that they are."

"Where's your dad now?"

"He's gone to see Joel with Vic, the doctors said he might be able to go home today."

"That's great news!" Jamie exclaimed. 

"Yeah.  I mean it will take a while for his leg to heal, but Dad and Vic have turned the dining room into a bedroom for him to make things easier."